Freese would 'absolutely' like to return to Angels, but it's no guarantee

Oct 3, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Los Angeles Angels third baseman David Freese (6) celebrates his run with teammates against the Texas Rangers during the fifth inning of a baseball game at Globe Life Park in Arlington. Mandatory Credit: Jim Cowsert-USA TODAY Sports

Third baseman David Freese had an up-and-down season for the Los Angeles Angels, who fell short of qualifying for the postseason on Sunday after losing to Cole Hamels and the AL West champion Texas Rangers.

The game could very well have been Freese's last with the Halos, though he could return...if the two sides agree on a new contract.

Jeff Fletcher of the O.C. Register pointed out that this marks the first time since the 2010 season that Freese won't be participating in the postseason...as he'd made it in from 2011-2014 with the St. Louis Cardinals and the Angels last year.

With free agency looming, Freese told Fletcher on Sunday that while he'd 'absolutely' be interested in staying in Anaheim, he knows things might not work out that way.

"With that said, a lot of things have to happen on both sides," Freese told Fletcher. "It's a new experience for me. We'll see what happens when the World Series is over, and go from there."

In 121 games for the Angels in 2015, Freese hit .257/.323/.420 with 14 home runs while playing a mostly above-average third base. While injuries cut short his full-time effectiveness, Freese was a key contributor in the Angels' late-season surge toward a postseason spot. From September 1 on, he hit .308/.368/.486. Meanwhile, the Angels went 20-11 over that same span.

If the Halos and new general manager Billy Eppler so choose, they could opt to spend some money to retain Freese's services...or they could entrust third base to a young player such as Kaleb Cowart or Kyle Kubitza, though it's unclear at this point whether they would be viable long-term options at the position.